Wonders the popular dictum says, will never end. Especially in the world of air transport technology, its management, queer passengers, and at times, you seldom run into such wonders through the bare facet brazenness of some operators’ consumer protection department wizardry, in guaranteeing passengers’ discomfort.
Imagine a passenger that boarded a flight, and safely arrived at his destination but the airline succeeded in losing one of the passenger’s legs.
This true life incident occurred in the United States of America, USA. The male passenger who is in his late 30s is named, Michael Williams.
Mr. Williams boarded American Airlines, the world’s biggest airline, in Indianapolis. He was traveling to his home in St. Louis, en route to Charlotte.
On alighting at Charlotte airport, Mr. Williams’ bag where he kept his prosthetic leg, which he appropriately checked in, was not found. After a reasonable time of patience and waiting, the passenger declared that American Airlines had lost his prosthetic leg.
Williams said he patiently followed through American Airlines’ delayed/damaged luggage procedures. He verified that his prosthetic leg was missing and submitted a claim.
Pressed by aviation journalist if the baggage was appropriately checked-in at the point of embarkation, Williams said, “The special-made leg, I put it in my suitcase. I put the sticker on it that says ‘fragile,’” he narrated.
William further narrated, “I gave it (the suitcase) to the young lady at American Airlines when I was checking in. When I got to St. Louis airport, they roll me downstairs to baggage claim”, the waiting game began, and seemed it will go forever.
He said after mounting pressure, American Airlines merely handed him a check of $600 to cover his lost clothing in the suitcase, and nothing to mitigate or redeem the loss of his prosthetic leg which he put at about $26,000.
Williams added that he didn’t give up the fight with the airline but later succeeded to engage a senior manager of American Airlines who gave a whiff that the airline didn’t plan to pay for the lost limb.
He quoted the airline representative to have said, “We don’t have enough proof or evidence to pay for the leg, so we’re not going to pay for the leg,” Williams claimed the representative said.
Williams lamented that the journey to find a prosthetic leg that fit properly was difficult. “When you find the one that works, that’s the one you want to hold onto,” Williams said.
He further lamented thus, “It’s to the point where I don’t want to fly,” William said with a deep sense of frustration.
Williams had since hired an attorney at law to assist him in the battle for reimbursement to enable him to restore his lost leg.
@The Sun
About Post Author
